Africa emerging as key market for Indian sweet biscuit exports: Commerce Ministry
New Delhi, May 27
Africa is emerging as an important market for India's sweet biscuit exports, reflecting growing demand for Indian food products and expanding trade partnerships, according to a post shared by the Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on X.
The Department said Indian sweet biscuits are "steadily expanding their presence across global markets," highlighting India's growing footprint in value-added food exports and stronger market access across regions. It added that the increasing reach of Indian food exports across established and emerging economies reflects India's continued integration with global consumer markets.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, India exported 344.2 thousand tonnes of sweet biscuits during FY 2025-26. The Department noted that the export growth demonstrates rising international demand for India's processed food products.
Highlighting Africa's growing role in India's export landscape, the Department said, "Africa is emerging as an important market for India's sweet biscuit exports," adding that the continent's fast-growing consumer economies are contributing to stronger trade engagement with India.
The post further stated that the "increasing presence of Indian sweet biscuits across African markets highlights deepening commercial engagement and the strengthening of India's value-added food exports in emerging regions."
Kenya has emerged as India's second-largest export destination for sweet biscuits, according to the Department's post.
The development comes amid continued efforts to expand India's processed food exports and strengthen access to international consumer markets. The Department's post underlined that Indian food products are witnessing increasing acceptance in both traditional and emerging export destinations.
The rise in sweet biscuit exports also reflects the growing importance of value-added food products in India's overall export basket and the widening global reach of Indian processed food manufacturers.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Wow, 344,000 tonnes is a lot of biscuits! Though I wonder about the carbon footprint of shipping all those goods. But it's nice that India is diversifying its exports beyond IT and pharmaceuticals. Maybe this will encourage more bilateral trade with African nations?
Brilliant news! 🎉 Indian biscuits are already so popular in our own country, and seeing them conquer new markets feels great. The value-added food export sector is a huge employment generator back home too—from farmers to factories. I just hope the domestic prices don't shoot up because of export demand.
Interesting development. I wonder what kind of biscuits we're exporting—dietary variants? Glucose biscuits? Or more premium options? The Commerce Ministry should provide more specifics about product types. Also, how does the pricing compare to local African brands? That would determine long-term sustainability.
This is just wonderful! 😊 Indian sweet biscuits are always so tasty—our "chai" culture demands quality cookies and biscuits. Africa's young population must be loving them too! Expanding processed food exports is smart as it creates more value than raw agricultural products. Proud moment for Indian manufacturing.
A small but important step in strengthening India-Africa ties. Beyond just trade, this could pave the way for joint ventures and technology transfer in food processing. Though I hope the export doesn't compromise on sugar content standards—some African countries have stricter regulations.
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